Canandaigua students plan fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada

CANANDAIGUA — One of Lynsie Coccia’s best friends had leukemia when she was eight years old and now, seven years later, she is cancer free.

Sam Orcutt’s family has had a number of cancer diagnoses over the past year.

These are two reasons the seniors of Canandaigua Academy are teaming up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for a fundraiser this weekend.

“I’m so excited to help a cause that has helped her,” Lynsie said. “I don’t think his family would have made it without them, so I’m really grateful to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.”

And for Sam, it’s a terrible event when you are told that a member of your family has cancer.

“It’s something that’s really, really hard to digest,” he said. “It’s something I don’t want anyone else to go through again.”

Students will be in front of the Sweet Expressions chocolate and candy store for “Business Bingo,” which will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 12. As well as handing out wristbands and accepting donations for the charity, they will also share information about the good things it does for families.

The duo will also set up shop as part of the 2022 Downtown Fire & Ice Winter Festival on February 19-20.

Participants will be entered into a raffle to win a basket of donations from at least a dozen downtown businesses.

Here’s how it works. You get a kind of bingo card, with participating companies. You visit the company and your card is stamped. Then you’re entered into a raffle with all sorts of gift cards and cool stuff, including a ukulele from Mobile Music and a Jellycat from Wildflowers.

All proceeds will go to cancer patients and their families in that area, they said.

All of the business owners have been so compassionate about it, Lynsie said. And having the fundraiser downtown just made sense, Sam said.

“We love downtown Canandaigua,” he said. “We have lunch there all the time, and we spend a little too much money there and a little too much time there, so we thought a place where we would spend that much time would be a great place to hold the fundraiser. .

Sam, who plays golf on the school team and enjoys rock climbing and bowling, said the experience of hosting the event shows how a small act can impact others.

“A small act of raising a few dollars can really save someone’s life,” said Sam, who plans to study civil engineering at university. “It’s understanding our value and our purpose.”

Lynsie, who has her own vintage clothing business and is looking to study fashion merchandising at university, said it’s been wonderful to see how the community has come together over the past few weeks to help local families. in trouble.

“I think it’s so awesome that we can help find a cure for cancer,” she said.

About Mark A. Tomlin

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